The Demands of Dinner

Americans Value Dinner With Their Families,
But Chinese Careers Can Clash With That

By

Li Yuan

Updated June 3, 2008 1:32 p.m. ET

The Chinese version of this column is available here.

Shortly after starting her first journalism job in New York, a Chinese friend of mine asked a mutual-fund manager if they could meet for dinner. As soon as they got up from the table, the fund manager called her husband. "I'm done and should be home soon," she said, leaving my friend puzzled that she was so eager to end their meeting and go home.